Sometimes it’s better to stay hush-hush.
As an interviewee, preparation and research for a job interview go a long way.
Yet, according to Suzy Welch, a New York Times bestselling author and CEO, if you give these three “kiss of death” answers to questions asked by a hiring manager — you’re doomed.
Having an entrepreneurial spirit is a great thing, just maybe avoid bringing it up when interviewing for a job.
Saying, “‘I want to start my own business someday” to a recruiter “sounds like you’re planning your exit before you even walk through the door,” Welch wrote in a CNBC Make It article.
“…At most companies, executives agree new hires start making financial sense after about three years. If you signal that your plan is to leave and launch your own thing, most companies won’t want to take that bet.”
Another thing to keep to yourself is admitting you “value work-life balance.”
Yes, this is something just about every employee wants in their daily lives — “But if you say this is your top priority, you’ll instantly disqualify yourself, at least in the eyes of many hiring managers,” the expert revealed.
“Companies want to know that you’re motivated, that you want to win, and that your goals align with theirs. Productivity and passion matter.”
Another thing that should be kept under wraps in an interview — although it’s a common experience with many corporate workers — never say you were let go as part of your company’s recent layoffs.”
This advice from Welch might come as a shock, but it’s for good reason.
“Seasoned executives know that in many layoffs, companies pluck out the top performers and reassign them elsewhere in the organization. And they are wondering why that didn’t happen to you,” she said.
“So you need to explain your situation in more nuanced detail, signaling that you know what they’re thinking. For instance, you might explain that your company was getting out of a certain business line entirely, and thus your skills no longer applied elsewhere in the newfangled enterprise,” she suggested in the article.
Aside from being cognizant of the answers you give in interviews — there are certain tests managers use to determine whether a candidate is right for a job.
Hiring managers revealed in a Reddit thread different methods they’d use on potential candidates “without their knowing.”
One user said they once were at an interview with “they put a jug of water with a cup out to see if anyone would drink it while being interviewed.”
“I was the only person who drank the water at a ‘normal pace’ during the interview, and this is seen as being ‘confident in the workplace environment by accepting a gift or offer,’” the user wrote. They added that their “normal pace” was taking a sip after answering each question.
Another person wrote: “I would ask about hobbies and then ask an uninformed (but hopefully not insulting) question about their hobby, even if it was one I was into myself.”
“The goal was to see how they responded. Some people would make me feel stupid for not knowing something they knew. Most would politely answer and maybe explain a thing or two. The really good ones would treat me like one of the lucky 10,000 and actually get me excited about their hobby.”
Read the full article here
